Work on 1st-ever private hospital begins in Samangan

AIBAK (Pajhwok): Construction work on a private 100-bed hospital, the first of its kind, has been launched in the capital of northern Samangan province, an official said on Thursday.

Eng. Syed Yaqub Shah Roshanzada, who designed the hospital, told Pajhwok Afghan News the cost of the hospital was estimated at $2million, provided by Haji Baba Qul, a resident of Aibak, the provincial capital.

According to him, the hospital’s building was being constructed over 4,000 metres square of land, and would be completed in two years.

He said the building architecture was designed based on international standards. The four storey-building will have maternity, internal medicine, surgery, orthopedic and ophthalmology wards.

Of the $2million budget, $1.2 million will be spent on the hospital’s construction and the remaining $800,000 on procurement of medical equipment. A mosque, a restaurant and a ground water well will also be set up at the hospital.

Meanwhile, local officials welcomed the construction of the private-sector hospital. Sifatullah Samangani, the provincial council head, said currently hundreds of residents took their patients to Balkh province or Kabul for treatment.

If other businessmen also invested in such projects, health issues would be resolved, the public representative believed.

Dr. Ikramuddin Wakilzada, the provincial hospital head, also hailed the investment in the health sector. He said the the population of the province was increasing and so were people’s health problems.

He said currently, 34 health centres were functioning in Samangan, including the provincial civil hospital and three others in districts. The remaining 30 health centres could not cope with the number of patients.

He hoped with the completion of the hospital, having standard equipment and experienced doctors, the of quality and standard of health services would considerably improve.